After an 8-2 road trip, the Nationals return home tonight to face the Mets.

For the first time all season, the Nationals will field a lineup tonight that includes Ryan Zimmerman, Ian Desmond, Danny Espinosa, Adam LaRoche, Michael Morse, Jayson Werth and Bryce Harper. It only took until Game No. 119 for that to happen, but nobody's complaining now. "I really like, from top to bottom, our lineup," manager Davey Johnson said today.

Desmond's return from a month on the DL with an oblique tear does force one significant change: Werth becomes the Nationals' primary leadoff hitter moving forward, though Johnson did say he wants to try to find ways to get Steve Lombardozzi in the lineup whenever possible.

This new-look lineup will be facing Johan Santana, who on June 1 threw the first no-hitter in Mets history, needing 134 pitches to do it. In nine starts since, the left-hander is 3-6 with a 7.98 ERA. Yikes. Ross Detwiler gets the ball for the Nationals, bumped up a day in the rotation to avoid pitching back-to-back with fellow lefty Gio Gonzalez, who will start Sunday's series finale.

I think Ramos needed time to get past the traumatic experience he suffered this past winter. It may end up being a blessing in disguise. Even if he can't play full-time next season they'll have Suzuki to alternate with him just like they are doing with Flores. In fact, that's probably how it will end up.

C'mon Desi. Doesn't it say a lot about this team that Desi has some pretty big shoes to fill with Lombo out of the lineup tonight? How many other teams could afford to bench a guy hitting .500 in recent games, and send out a better all-around player to take his place?These Nats are scary.

This is a pretty darn imposing lineup my friends. Just hope we're not in reverse lock mode with all the excitement. Nah, not with Johan on the mound. This will be a good test. Nats Park is going to be rockin' tonight.

Final stretch begins tonight. Here's the formula: Baseball is a 60% game. Win 60% of your regular season games and you almost certainly make the playoffs (97 wins). Win 60% of your playoff games and you win the World Series, period.To win 60% in the regular season, you need to win series, which we have been very good at all year. Somewhat oddly, we have 3 even-game series left, a two-gameer with the Marlins, and 4-gamers with the Cubs and Cards. The 60% formula means winning 6 of those ten games.Of course, you can also have a long winning streak, but that hasn't been our style.If we win 60% from here on, the Braves have to win 69% to chatch us.

peric, I'm a big fan of Lombo's and I don't like seeing him sit, either, but it's not like Werth has been hurting the team lately. He hasn't been quite as good at the plate as Lombo over the last week, but he's 8 for 17. And Werth has been better if you look back to the beginning of the month. Hopefully Davey will find lots of ABs for Lombo, but I'm not sure it should be at Werth's expense rather than Harper's.

Very excited to have our best lineup out there, do wish Wilson was in it. Wish i could be at the game, but Family Duty calls (kids and their birthdays-GEESH).Davey will know how to work Lombo in. NatsLady.. Good plan! That mets bullpen is big stinker!

Peric, I'm a big fan of Lombo's and I don't like seeing him sit, either, but it's not like Werth has been hurting the team lately. Well, now he is going to once again become the regular lead-off hitter (not #5 NatsJack) according to Davey. For a playoff team going into the last leg of a pennant race. When Riggleman tried this with Werth he hated it. And his average swooned.We'll see how he handles it this time around.

If anyone is thinking about weighing in on whether Werth should be in the lineup, please consider checking to see if your point has been made in this thread, or this one, or this one. If it has, maybe you'd consider sparing this poor thread and commenting on some other topic. Thank you.

For 222:from twitter@theNatinals @MarkZuckerman @JWerthsBeard just a reminder that this did not work at all last year. He belongs in the 6 spot.You are going to keep hearing about it unless Werth embraces the #1 slot this time around … he didn't last time.

Just so my "Hoc est ridiculum" the pRAA with the ISO meme is straight:@DanKolko Correct. They're now down to 39 on the 40-man. RT @md_schmidt: @masnKolko Doesn't this also clear 1 spot on the 40 man?There are now 39 slots. Christian Garcia now has a slot open. They can still move Wang (or H-Rod) to the 60-day to pick up another.

CitizenMeyers: Brett Carroll taking some grounders at shortstop during BP today for Chiefs…don't expect a change but he is looking pretty good.Davey wouldn't would he? Mark Teahen's offense dropped down into a deep hole after the All Star break probably because he came to the realization that the Nats weren't going to bring him up this season.

Harper needs to produce because guys sitting on the bench tonight (Lombo, the Shark, Moore) have all been far more productive since the A-S break. It would be one thing if the Nats were playing for next year, but the Nats must play their best line-up the rest of the way — everyone has to earn it from this point forward. Given his struggles against lefties (.217/.288/.362 BA/OBP/SLG), I really do not get starting Harper against a tough lefty like Santana.

I promise you, Desmond is starting for the Mets only so he can get warmed up for the Braves.Thank goodness he's starting for us, not the Mets. But NN raises a good point. I've been a Desi-skeptic (never a hater) for several years, and I admitted back in late June that I was wrong about him this year. He's had a fantastic season and is a key component of this incredible Nats team. Davey must think that regardless of how well Lombo has been playing, getting Desi back in the groove is key for our stretch run, and this is the best way to do it. So I'm going to give him this Mets series to get ready to crush the Braves. I hereby pledge that even if he goes 0-4 tonight, with 2 Ks, and even if makes two errors in the field that cost us the game, I'm not going to complain or say they made a mistake in letting him skip a rehab assignment.

Given his struggles against lefties (.217/.288/.362 BA/OBP/SLG), I really do not get starting Harper against a tough lefty like Santana.According to Rizzo (and Davey of course) its player development. It was either AAA or the majors. No one thought they would get this far when it was decided to finish Harper's development in the majors. Its still an ongoing process just like Desmond last year and Espinosa (starting to come around) this year. Harper is a lot younger but they still seem to like his approach to the plate and to his game.

JamesWagnerWP: Henry Rodriguez threw today with Steve McCatty and trainer Lee Kuntz watching. Am told he looked OK, back still hurting a little.masnKolko: Davey made it sound like Werth might be his primary leadoff hitter, but said he has options. Made it clear Desmond will hit 6th.

peric said… @JamesWagnerWP Davey says that if Cesar Izturis isn't claimed by another team, the Nats would want to add him again.August 17, 2012 5:26 PM ____________________________________Makes sense but agree that the Braves may snatch him just to screw with the Nats except their 40 man is full which doesn't make it a certainty. When the Brewers released him, all other teams could have grabbed him.

Lombo has made a major statement for next year. This off season is going to be very interesting–but that's a long way off. Who will be the heros and the goats from here on out? This is the time when national reputations are made for young players. Very exciting.

I'm not sure I do … when even NBC's Andrea Mitchell report interrupts the Obama vs. Romney vs. Ryan Medicare Plans debate to throw in a segment on Strasgate? Then she ends it by saying Washington can't seem to stop talking about it and talk about anything else?I think the Lerners have finally managed to get a leg up on good ol' Snydley Owl the Redskins owner … but not the way they imagined I'm sure.

Love Bharp as much as the next, but. 15-30….really what exactly does Lombo have to do? I know Bryce is 19 and I know he is a rookie, but once again this is big boy baseball, time to put up or let the hot bat play.

Love Bharp as much as the next, but. 15-30….really what exactly does Lombo have to do? I know Bryce is 19 and I know he is a rookie, but once again this is big boy baseball, time to put up or let the hot bat play.Harper is a franchise player Lombo isn't. For an analogy (and I hate using it) think of playing Rex Grossman instead of RG III because he is older and more experienced. But RG III is the future of the franchise. Given how well he has handled himself at age 19 the ceiling does look extremely high … its a bit of a risk but Davey believes he can manage it.

After all his rants on the weakness of our bench, JayB should finally be feeling good about about life. It did take awhile to get here, but I think if we totaled up the slash for the bench right now, it would probably be better than for the starting lineups for about half the teams in the league.

And that bench will get significantly better on September 1st. Rizzo says he doesn't want a crowded dugout and Davey (as he did last year) likes to stack his bench deep with new prospects and possibilities. He's already announced that he is bringing back CM Wang and might get Iszturis back.Be interesting to see who flips that coin and wins (Davey).

Now, if we can just get Desmond on track and back into the power groove they might just be able almost coast right to the end. Werth genuinely looks into batting lead-off! If he continues that could permanently put the kibosh on Ladson's CF lead-off hitter. Which IMO would be a tremendous thing.

I said this on July 21st about Bernadina and Detwiler and the same goes for Bryce Harper that when you give back to the kids, there's something called positive Karma.Thanks Bryce for what you did for the kids yesterday!

Off topic. Watching the Mets feed on Mlb (Ray Knight annots me, where's JP?).Enjoying the commenting on Carter and Dawson and the history of this franchise. 94 and "Blue Monday", Steve Rogers et all.Thank you Bryce!Hope to make it to see the Nats someday, I certainly saw a lot of the Expos.

peric said… Werth genuinely looks into batting lead-off! If he continues that could permanently put the kibosh on Ladson's CF lead-off hitter. Which IMO would be a tremendous thing. August 17, 2012 8:40 PM ________________________________Welcome aboard! The Bull Moose appreciates anyone on his bandwagon!

I was going to join you all after the game, but I noticed something and want anyone's take on it… It seemed like Det got an angry look on his face when he saw Stammen warming up… I think that effected him a bit. I like his fire, but why get mad only going 6 innings.

djinFl. said… Det was pitching on short rest, so he had a short leash. Did the job Davey wanted tonight and once you accomplish that—thanks and have a seat August 17, 2012 9:14 PM ________________________________Not true. With the dayoff yesterday, normal rest. EJax will have 2 days extra.

Big inning: His Drew-ness tries to hit the comeback trail. Lot of confidence shown by Davey.Davey isn't just saying it when he says he needs relievers like H-Rod and Storen. These are the guys you use to get other pitchers out of jams anytime in a game. He needs Storen to be on top of his game. We'll see what happens with Henry.

The shift almost reminds one of "town ball" Ken Burns series on baseball showed historically that there could be as many as 20 fielders in the field when baseball was splayed in the 1860's town to town.